Sheath-applying means.



F. N. PALMER.

SHBATH APPLYING MEANS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 17, 1910.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. N. PALMER. SHEATH APPLYING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1910.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

P. N. PALMER.

SHEATH APPLYING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.17,1910.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

Z /Z. '7 F575. 70 72 F {J [y 69 .JrENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS N. PALMER, or' KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

SHEATH-APPLYING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

Application filed March 17, 1910. Serial No. 549,826.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS NI PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of "Wisconsin,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sheath-Applying Means, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to means f or applying a sheath orjacket to steel tubing, or the like, as, for instance, a brass coveringto a steel tube for bed construction purposes.

My primary object is to provide improved means of the characterindicated which will operate in an improved manner in forming a sheathfrom a brass ribbon, or other sheathing material, and applying the sameto the steel tubing or objectto be sheathed.

A further object is to provide an improved method of effecting sheathingof tubes or like bodies, whereby inspection of the working duringprocess of construction is rendered feasible, thus enabling abortiveoperation to be instantly detected and the defect remedied, and, also,facilitating the work of repair as well as increasing greatly thedurability of the apparatus employed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a broken plan view of sheathing apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a broken side elevational view ofthe same; Fig. 3, a plan view of the ribbon guiding and flange formingdies, with the upper die-blocks removed: Fig. 4, a rear elevational viewof the same, with the upper die-blocks in place; Fig. 5-,a verticalsectional view, taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, anupper, front perspective view of a small diesection which aids in thefinal portion of the operation of forming the dovetail 'for mat'ion atone lateral edge of the sheathingstrip, and which die section, forconvenience, is formed separately from the rear upper die-block at thatside of the course of the sheathing-strip; Fig. 6, a broken transversesection taken as indicated atline 6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 a broken sectionshowmg a fragment of the lower the shown in Fig. 6, the section beingtaken as lndicated at line 6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7, a section taken.

as indicated at line 7 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a -.L(i1fin taken as indlcatedat line 8 of F1g. 1; Figs. 9 and 10, bottom views, respecserv ng ingtheinterl'ocking tongues and imparting tively, of the upper die-blocksflanking the course of the sheathing-strip; Fig. 11, a view mainly inelevation, but partly in section, of the die in which the lockingtongues,

or hooked flanges, of the sheathing-strip (formed in passing through thedies at the left-hand end of Fig. 1) are brought into interlocklngrelation and mashed together somewhat; Fig. 12, a front end view of said1d1 e; Fig. 13, a rear end view of thesame; -F1gs. 14, 15 and 16,sections taken as indicated at the corresponding lines of Fig. 11,

the steel tube and its sheath being shown,

also; Fig. 17, a broken plan view of a forming die serving topreliminarily roll the edge-portions of the sheathing-strip up as saidstrip enters the tube-former; Fig. 18, a rear view of the same taken asindicated at line 18 of Fig. 2; Fig. 19, a sectional view of the productas itissues from the die shown .in Fig. 11 and enters the finishingdies; and Fig. -20, a broken section showing a fragment'of the finishedproduct.

In the construction illustratedfA represents a bed or frame; B, aflangeforming group of dies carried by a plate B mounted .on a plate Bsupported on the bed; C, a

sheathing-strip or ribbon-guiding means disposed in front of the groupof dies B; D, a die located in the rear of the flange-form- 'ing dies Band serving to initially curve or curl the edge-portions of thesheathingstrip after the locking-tongues have been formed at the lateraledges thereof; E, a flaring tubular member or die serving to completetheoperation of folding the sheath about the steel tubing as the steeltubing and sheathing strip are simultaneously drawn through the machine;F, a die serving to cause the locking-tongues of the sheathingstrip tobecome interlockingly engaged and part ally mashed; and G, a finishingdie to complete the operation of masha substantially true circularexternal contour to the product.

The bed A may be of any suitable con .struction, and supported. in anysuitable Win B andadditional cross members 2 and 3 are supported. Themembers 1 are supported in any desired manner to form a bench. i

The dies B are adapted to operate on the lateral edgeportions of asheathingstrip or brass ribbon a to form a simple locking-tongue orflange 5 at one edge and p group of dies B comprises adjustable plates l7 and8 mounted on the plate B and adjust-.

able transversely with relation to the bed A;

has its front end tapered or beveled, as ina lower die 9 mounted on theinner end of the plate 7 and disposes at one side of the path of thesheathing-strip; a lower die 9, constructed in sections, mounted on theinner endoftheplate 8 and located adjacent -.the other side of thepath'of the sheathingstrip; an'upper die 10,-constructed in sections,co-acting with the die 9';'and an upper die 10 constructed in sections,co-actrn'g with the die 9*.

The plates 7 and 8 are adjustable toward and away from each other,having bo-lt-andslot'connection' 11 with the plate 13 That is'to say,said plates are received by re-' cesses or guides in the plate 13 andhave slots which receive cap-screws, which pass through the slots andinto threaded perforations in the plate B The cap-screws may be loosenedto enable the plates 7 and 8 to be adjusted, and may betig'htenedgtoclamp them in place. The die 9 comprises a block which ismortised into the upper surface of the inner end portion of the plate orblock 7, as will be understood from "Fig. 4, being connected with saidplate by cap-screws-12 which pass upwardly through the plate B Said die9 has a fiat upper surface 13 at its inner portion and has a'raisedouter portion or flange 141, said surfaces being joined by a shoulder 15which is beveled as indicated at 16 (Figs. 3 and 6), and which be comessubstantially vertical and slightly undercut, asindic'ated at 16 in Fig.6 and continues rearwardly as a tapering over-' hanging edge 17, asshown in Figs. 7 and 8,

being thus adapted to curl the correspond-' ing edge of thesheathing-strip upwardly and bend'it inwardly to form the simple hookedflange or lockmg-tongue'5 sho-wn'in Fig. 8;The'upper die 10'is composedof sections 18, 19'and 20 which are secured to the plate 7 bycap-screws-2L' The shank portions of the die-sections 18, '19 and 20 areprovided on their lower surfaces with tenons-22 which fit in a mortisewith which the plate-7 is provided. Each of the diesections 18, 19 and20 has the lower surface of its inner end provided with a flange '23having a flat lower surface spaced slightly above the flat surface 13 ofthe die 9. The inneredge, or shoulder, of the flange 23 is undercut, asindicated at 24, thus af fordinga sharp edge 25, which edge continuesacross the whole of the sectio-n'ally constructed die 10 somewhatobliquely or tapering to correspond with the taper or obliquity of theedge 17 ofthe lower die 9.

The sectionally constructed lower die 9"* comprises, as appears fromFigs. 3, 4, 5 and dicated at 31; and upon the upper surface of thedie-section 27 is a rib 32 which is in substantial alinement with therib30 and Upon the upper surface of virtually forms a continuationthereof. The

front end of the rib 32 in tapered slightly, and-the lateral shouldersof said rib are undercut, so that the rib 32 is' of dovetail crosssection, but tapers slightly from front to rear.

The die-section 28 is mortised' into the outer edge-portion of thedie-section 27,

and has a beveled tapering edge 33 which underlies the adjacentoverhanging shoulder of the dovetail rib a flange 34 on its lowersurface which fits in a'corresponding recess with which the die-section27 is provided, and from the flange 34: depends a stud 35 which fitsin'a holewith which the die-section 27 is pro vided, as shown in Fig. 5.As will be un- The member 28 has derstoo-d, the die-section 28 issmallest'at its front end, and the tapering'beveled edge 33 is adaptedto perform the final bending movement of the locking-tongue 36 of thedovetail locking member 6 in the course ofthe formation of said lockingmember.

The sectionally constructed upper die 10 comprises die-sections 18, 19and 20 The lower die-sections 26 and 27 are secured to the plate 8 bycap-screws 37 which extend upwardly, and the die-sections 1'8", '19

and 20 are provided on their lower surfaces 1 with tenons 38 which fitinto corresponding recesses with which the plate 8 is provided,

and said last-named die-sections are secured to the plate 8 bycap-screws 39. The, diesection'18 has its inner end provided at itslower portion with a slightly; tapering flange 40 having a flat bottomface disposed slightly above the surface 29 of the diesection 26, andback of the-flange 40, the lower surface of the block is recessed toafford a space 41 which accommodates the rib 30. The die-sections 19 and20 have corresponding flanges 410, that is, flanges'cor responding withthe flange 40 of the die-' The die-sections 19 and 20"" section 18. alsoare provided with a rib or flange 4:2 separated from the flanges 40 by aspace 43, as appears from Fig. '9 The shoulder of the flange 42.'Wlii0his adjacent the'fiange 40, on the die-section 19 is provided with a,tapering bevel 414:, as will be understood from Figs. 7 and 9.'- Thetapering bevel 14 isadapted to engage'the edge-portion of thesheathing-strip 4 and curl it down wardly over the rib '30, as shown inFig. 7. Thereafter, the downwardly curled edgeportion passes intoengagement with the tapering beveled surface 33 of the die-section 28and the formation of the dovetail member 6 of the sheathing-strip isthus completed. The flange 42 of the die-section 20 is reduced or cutaway to accommodate the die-section 28, as shown in Fig. 8.

It may be stated here that the die-section 28 virtually forms a part ofor is complemental to the die-section 20*, said section 20 being formedindependently for convenience in manufacturing and assembling.

The flange of the die-section 20 has its inner shoulder undercut, asindicated at L5, and thus acts in conjunction with the adjacent undercutsurface of the rib 82 in forming the dovetail member 6.

The means O for guiding the sheathingstrip into the flanging dies B andholding the strip rigid with relation to said dies at the point of entrycomprises a pair of journal-blocks 46 secured to the front edge of theplate B a roller 4L7 journaled between said blocks and having endflanges a8 whose inner surfaces are in substantial alinement with thepassage through the fianging dies; said roller 47 being locatedimmediately in advance of the entrance to the flanging-dies; a secondroller 49 disposed a short distance in front of the roller 47 and insubstantially the same horizontal plane; a guide member 50 disposedabove and slightly in advance of the roller 47 and having asubstantially flat lower surface 51 suitably spaced with relation to theroller 47 to admit the sheathing-strip;and bolts or cap-screws 52connecting the angular shanks 53 of the member 50 with the blocks 46.The shanks 53, which extend forwardly from the member 50, are providedwith longitudinal slots 54 which receive the bolts or cap-screws 52 andpermit the member to be adjusted with relation to the roller 47. Themember 50 is provided with a. perforation 55 adapted to serve as aguidefor the steel tubing 56 to which the sheath is to be applied. Inentering the strip of sheathing material, the strip is first passedbeneath the roller 4-9 and then up over the roller 47 and beneath thelower surface 51. of the member-$0 and into the flanging dies.

The die 1) comprises a lower die-member 57 whose upper surface isprovided with an elongated recess 58*having 'a flat bottom 59 andupwardly rounded lateral walls 60 which converge somewhat from front torear, as indicated in Fig. 17; and a pair of die-members 61 secured tothe die-member 57 by capscrews 62 and studs 63, each of said diemembers61 having an inwardly projecting end provided with a depending flange642 having a rounded lower surface correspond ing approximately with therounded surfaces 60 of the lower die-member. The diemembers 61 are cutaway as indicated at 65,

The member E is of flaring tubular form,.

preferably open at its front upper portion and conforming incross-section at its front end substantially to the outlet of the die D.The rear end of the member E conforms 'approximately to the entering endof the die I to which it extends.

The die F comprises an approximately tubular member 67 which is somewhatopen at its'upper side, and rings 68 and 69 on the end portions of saidtubular member. The member 67is in the form of a split cylinder, and atthe front end of said member one edge-portion 70 is open somewhat andreceived in a recess with which the ring 68 is provided internally atits upper portion.

The member (37 is slighty elliptical, its vertical axis being longerthan its transverse 3 axis.

The recess 71 affords a shoulder 72' against which that edge of thesheathing' strip which is equipped with the simple locking-tongue 5 maybear in the passage of the sheathing-strip through the die. The

' other edge 73 of the split cylinder (37 is depressed somewhat at theentering end of the die and for a short distance in the rear of the ring68, so as to be adapted to hold the dovetail locking member 6 depresseduntil the tongue 5 is brought into engagement with the tongue 36, whichis accomplished by the internal conformation of the member 67, as willbe understood from Figs. 1a and 15. The rear portion of the die F isclosed (eircumferentially), although slightly elliptical. The upperportion of the cylindrical member 67 is cut away somewhat centrally asindicated at "74, which enables the opera tion of the interlocking ofthe tongues 5 and 36 to be constantly viewed, if desired.

The finishing die G may taper somewhat from front to rear, and is oftrue cylindrical I I of the ribbon and the dovetail locking member 6'isformed at the other edge of said ribbon, the tongue 5 being turnedupwardly and inwardly while the tongue turned downwardly and inwardly.As the ribbon passes through the die D, its edge portions are curved ormade concavo convex, as shown in Fig. 18, and, in the passage throughthe tube-shaping die E the material is rounded into approximatelycylindrical form, entering the die F with the locking tonguesapproximately in the relation shown in Fig. 14 During the passagethrough the die F, the locking tongue 5 is gradually advanced across thetongue 36 and lowered into locking relation with the tongue 36, as shownin Fig. 15, and during the final ortion of the movement through the dieF the locking tongues are mashed together, as shown in Fig. 16. Theproduct then passes through the finishing dies and emerges wlth asubstantially true outer cyllndrical surface, the completion of themashing operation, which results in flattening the internal tubingslightly at its upper portion, resulting in the passage through thedies. The seam produced in theoperation is one which is known in the artas a double lock seam, which is scarcely visible in the finishedproduct. It is to be noted that while the sheathing-strip is passingthrough the mechanism C, it is properly guided and stiffened, so thatits lateral edge-portions will properly-enter the flanging dies. mentwhereby the thin brass ribbon is caused to pursue a somewhat tortuouspath, that is, to pass beneath the roller 49 and over the roller L7, andthe juxtaposition of the flanging dies insures the ribbon againstbuckling and aids materially in the accurate feeding of the ribbonthrough the flanging dies. The retarding pressure exerted upon theribbon as it passes through the space between the roller 47 and surface51 of the member 50 may be regulated at will by adjustment of the member50.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the flanging, orlock-tongue forming operation is performed while the sheathingstrip isin the open or non-tubular condition and that a very gradualtube-forming operation then follows, in the final portion of which thetongues are brought into interlocking relation and mashed together; andit will be appreciated that by reason of this principle. of operationthe strain upon the dies is very greatly lessened, the life of theapparatus increased, and the detection and remedying of defects greatlyfacilitated. My invention enables small gage sheathing material to beemployed, and, as the output per machine is increased for the reasonspointed out, it will be understood that my invention enables the cost ofproduct-ion of sheathed tubing to be very materially reduced. It isobvious that the form of the tube or object to be sheathed may vary.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only. and no undue limitation is to be understoodtherefrom, but the appended claims The arrangeare to be construed asbroadly as permissible in View of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a pair ofrolls disposed one in advance of the other, a guide-member coacting withthe rearmost roll, fianging dies located in the rear of said rearmostroll and adapted to form locking tongues at the lateral edges of asheathing-strip fed. therethrough, and means for curving said strip intotubular form and bringing said locking tongues into interlockingrelation.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, 80 flange-forming diesadapted to form locking tongues on the lateral edges of asheathingstrip, comprising lower dies having flangeforming wallsseparated by a space and a pair of sectionally constructed upper diesseparated by a space and having flangeforming walls coacting with saidfirstnamed walls, in combination with means for "guiding a tube to besheathed, means for forming the sheathing-strip about said tube, andmeans for interlocking and mashing the locking-tongues of saidsheathing-strip.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, flange-forming dies adaptedto form locking tongues at the lateral edges of a sheathing- 95 stripcomprising a pair of lower dies, one of c which is equipped with aflange having a shoulder with a beveled surface at its front end and anundercut surface at its rear end and the other of which is equipped witha rib tapering at its front end and undercut to dovetail form at itsrear end, an upper die having a depending flange with an undercut edgeadapted to coact with said shoulder, and another upper die havingshoulders adapted to bend the metal of said strip about said rib andthereby form a dovetail-form locking member.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a lowerdie having an 11 upwardly presented flange with a shoulder having abeveled surface at its front end and undercut at its rear end, a seconddie having an upwardly presented rib with a tapering front end and anundercut rear end -of dovetail form, a die-section having a beveledtapering edge present-ed beneath the outer undercut shoulder of saidrib, an upper die having a shoulder coact-ing with said first-namedshoulder adapted to act in con- 130 junction therewith to form a simplelocking-tongue, and another upper die having shoulders adapted to bendthe metal of the sheathing-stripabout said rib, one of said shouldershaving an undercut surface 00- acting with the inner undercut surface ofsaid rib. v

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a lowerdie having a flange with a shoulder beveled at its front end andundercut at its rear end, a sectionally constructed upper die having atthe inner end thereof a tapering undercut flange coacting with saidshoulder and adapted to act in conjunction therewith to form a simplelocking-tongue, a second lower die spaced apart from said first-namedlower die equipped on its upper surface with a rib having a taperingfront end and undercut surfaces at its rear end, and a sectionallyconstructed upper die coacting with said last-named die and havingshoulders serving to act in conjunction with said rib to form a dovetaillocking member.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a pair oflower dies, one of which is equipped with a shoulder having a beveledfront portion and an undercut rear portion presenting a tapering edge, a

second lower die spacedapart from said.

first-named die and having a rib with a tapering front end and anundercut rear end, a die-section having a beveled tapering surfacecoacting with the outer undercut surface of said rib, an upper diecoacting with said firsbnamed lower die and having a flange-formingshoulder coacting with said first-named shoulder to form a simplelocking tongue. an upper die coacting with said second-named lower dieand having shoulders adapted to bend the sheathing-strip about said.rib, and strip-guiding and stiffening means located immediately in front'of said dies.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a pair ofplates adjustable toward and' away from each other, flange-forming diesmounted on said plates adapted to form locking tongues at the lat-C'opies of this patent may be obtained for eral edges of asheathing-strip fed therethrough, means for guiding the sheathingstripinto said dies, means for guiding a tube adjacent said dies, and meansfor forming the sheathing-strip about said tube and interlocking andmashing the locking-tongues of said sheathing-strip.

8. In appa 'atus of the charwrter set forth. the combination of a pairof plates adjust able toward and away from each other, flange-formingdies mounted on said plates adapted to form locking tongues at the lat--eral edges of a sheathing-strip fed therethrough. a pair of rollslocated one in advance of the other and adapted to permit asheathing-strip to pass between them and over the rear roll. and anadjustable guidemember located above the rear roll.

9. In apparatus ofthe character set forth. the combination of a lowerdie-sect ion having a rib on its upper surface provided with a taperingfront end, a second die-section in the rear of said first-nameddie-section and having a rib in al'inement with said first-named rib andprovided with undercut lateral shoulders, a third die-section having atapering beveled edge projecting beneath the outer undercut surface ofsaid secondnamed rib, another lower die having a shoulder with a beveledfront end-portion and an undercut rear end-portion, and upper dieshaving shoulders coacting with the shoulders of the lower dies to formlockingto-ngues at the lateral edges of a sheathingstrip.

FRANCIS N. PALMER. In presence of L. HEISLAR, R. SCHAEFER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. 0.

